Lydia was spared the embarrassment of knocking on the door, because Kevin was outside putting black ribbons on Doomie.
"I need to talk to you, Kevin," she stated in a parenting tone.
"Just a moment, missy." The boy attached the bunch of black flowers on the hood and turned his attention to Lydia, confirming her first expression – the boy looked really sick.
"So, well, how long do you know Beetlejuice?" Lydia asked to strike a conversation.
"Three years next month."
"You count?"
"Yeah, we have big parties on the anniversaries."
"That's wonderful. And how did you meet him?"
"It happened like this-" Kevin's next words were stopped by a heavy cough. He hurriedly brought up a dirty handkerchief and covered his mouth.
"Gods," Lydia breathed out, seeing the blood stained piece of cloth. "You have TB."
"Yep," he confirmed when the coughing fit passed.
"But you must be treated in a hospital!"
"What for?"
"What do you mean what for? You are going to die otherwise!"
"Can't wait. I would've died a year ago already, but since I am here all the time the disease is regressing, because this air doesn't have Outerworld pollutants. But I am still getting there, so hopefully I'll die in a year."
In all her Neitherworld experience hadn't Lydia heard anything similar. The kid wanted to die. "But why?"
"Those who die here, stay here. I will be with Beetlejuice FOREVER! What can be better in this life?"
"Growing up?"
"Hah! Try to grow up in Bronx when you are homeless."
'He would end up in a gang and then most probably in prison. But not care for his life like that… The only difference is that he knows exactly what his afterlife will be, that's why he doesn't struggle to hold on the last thread of life like everybody else does.' "Are you sure that you will get here after your…"
"Death? Of course, BJ said so, so it is so."
There was so much devotion in Kevin's eyes that Lydia felt miserable once again. There was time when she felt the same. What didn't she do for Beetlejuice in the times of their friendship? Only didn't marry him. Lydia didn't say that his object of adoration was a cheating liar who will do anything to get some quick cash. No, but she didn't know what else to say to the dying boy. It was obviously pointless to talk Kevin round about his decision.
"Can you walk me out? You can tell me about some of your adventures."
"No problem."
They had been walking for not more than ten minutes when Beetlejuice appeared hovering over them. "Where do you think you are going?"
Lydia jumped hearing the whip like question. She didn't like Beetlejuice's angry expression. Didn't like it one bit. He was so full of negativity, it was impossible to believe that it was the same ghost she was friends with. And maybe it wasn't? She really wanted to know what happened to turn him in this… character.
"I was just walking miss Lydia out, BJ. The car is ready so I had some spare time. The equipment is in the back already, the Neitherworld will remember this wedding for eternity!"
With all the emotional rush, Lydia had completely forgotten about the mysterious wedding. The preparations were so thorough that it could mean only one thing. "Are you getting married, Beetlejuice?"
Beetlejuice's legs gave away from shock and he landed quite ungracefully onto his bum, wearing a completely horrified expression.
Kevin burst into a fit of giggles. "That was a nice one, miss Lydia! I would like to see the day! You must stay! Nobody can scare BJ like that!"
"She is not staying. That's final," Beetlejuice barked, finally coming around.
"Common, BJ, only for the wedding," Kevin outright begged. "She can be a good distraction."
"Yeah," Beetlejuice drawled, looking Lydia over once again.
Lydia's eyebrows rose quite high. Was BJ checking her out?
But in a second Beetlejuice's glance turned back to Kevin and his puppy dog eyes. And Lydia finally saw something familiar – Beetlejuice's eyes softened and he gave up with a nod.
"Wow! Super! But we need to rearrange the positions in the operation's plan, right, Beej?" Kevin chirped with overflowing jollity.
"Operation's plan?" Lydia asked over, feeling that she wouldn't like hearing what was said next.
"Operation 'Wedding Crashers'!"
"You are going to crash the wedding? But why?"
"We were not invited," Beetlejuice grunted. "Even that bonehead was, and we were not."
Lydia needn't ask 'why' this time. "But whose wedding is this?"
"But Prince Vince's of course!" Kevin supplied the answer.
"You can't do it," Lydia protested. "Not to Prince Vince."
"Why not?"
Lydia was surprised it was Kevin who asked the question. But then, what did the boy know about the weddings? "Because weddings are very special. It is supposed to be the best day of the… afterlife for the marring couple. And Prince Vince had been miserable for so long and now he finally found someone to be happy with. You can't tamper like this on something precious."
"Well, I don't know. The princess looks more like a moving statue to me. I don't see how she can make anybody happy."
"Then they will be miserable together," Lydia continued to attempt to prove her point.
"You mean misery likes company?" Kevin asked uncertain.
"Exactly."
"You know, Beej, I was wrong, she is no fun at all. There is no fun taking her with us, she will only mess up our plans."
Lydia moved her eyes to Beetlejuice, who to her astonishment was actually debating the situation at hand. "Have you ever been to a wedding?" he asked conversationally. "You seem to know a lot about the stuff."
"I cancelled mine if you question my experience. But, yes, I was a Maid of Honor on Prudence's wedding."
"Ugly Prudy got hitched?" Beetlejuice asked with mirth.
"Yes, and she is very happy," Lydia replied, daring with her stare to say anything remotely remorseful about the fact.
"The irony of it, isn't it?" Beetlejuice only said, making Lydia's shoulders slump an inch. Oh yes, the irony… Even Prudence has gotten her happily ever after. And Lydia Deetz… only shatters of past relationships.
"What will it be, Beetlejuice?" Kevin asked eager to do something practical. Long discussions were not for him.
"We will sit through the ceremony in the castle and then have our fun at the reception," Beetlejuice proclaimed.
"Kill them with anticipation?" the boy uttered, his eyes already shining with the anticipation of his own. At that moment he didn't look sick at all.
"Exactly."
Lydia rolled her eyes. She knew that what she was getting into could turn into a total disaster with unpredictable consequences. But didn't it always?
………………..
The wedding was on the next day, so Lydia crashed at the Road House, in the living room, with Ginger providing some clean sheets. In the morning Kevin was missing, but, as Lydia noticed, Beetlejuice didn't find it strange. It seemed to be quite a normal behavior for the youngster. Again with the help of Ginger Lydia found water and toiletries to freshen up.
She was waiting in the garage, chatting with Doomie, when she heard a toe curling scream from the house. By instinct that formed with the years of hearing Beetlejuice's cries of distress and even pure panic, Lydia rushed into the house to find an odd picture. It was so odd that she started to laugh. In the center of the living room stood someone whom Beetlejuice considered an epitome of evil, judging by his bulging eyes and flying hair.
"Oh, it is not that bad, BJ, it's only for a couple of days," the 'evil' promised, but it didn't help to calm the screaming banshee into which Beetlejuice transformed and was running around the living room. "Good morning, miss Lydia. BJ promised me a tux, I couldn't just put it on like I was. Right?"
"You are absolutely right, Kevin," Lydia agreed, raffling his now blond curls.
"Hey watch it! Don't mess with the haircut."
"Sorry, sorry."
Upon closer inspection Lydia understood Beetlejuice's reaction. Kevin was not only clean, but with his blond curls and shiny blue eyes lacked only small snow white wings to look like an angel. And angels were cute.
"So what tux were you talking about?" Lydia asked, but couldn't hear anything because of Beetlejuice's cries. "Stop it already! You are acting more than ridiculous!" she snapped, stepping into the banshee's running trajectory. For a moment there Lydia was not sure at all that Beetlejuice wouldn't run her over and prepared for impact, but he stopped a hair away from her and disappeared, reappearing in his usual form in the other end of the room.
"That tux," Beetlejuice snapped, juicing Kevin an indigo tuxedo with a golden shirt and an undone bowtie. Tying the bow Beetlejuice considered a criminal act against all his believes.
"Wow, such a young gentleman," Lydia praised. "Your cleaning efforts were not in vain."
"Not mine actually. Mrs. Juice scrubbed me raw the whole morning. And I mean raw, some places still hurt," Kevin said with a quivering low lip, asking for sympathy. Which Lydia provided right away with another patting on the head, but now cautious of the haircut. Beetlejuice snorted loudly clearly showing his opinion on the matter. "So get ready, BJ, and let's get on the road."
With a snap of his fingers Beetlejuice changed into his black tuxedo with the vine red shirt. Lydia always thought that he looked rather dashing in it. Neither the looks nor the opinion changed over the years.
"And what about miss Lydia?"
Lydia gaped. She had completely forgotten about her outfit. And she had to agree with Kevin – a dress would be much more appropriate. That's why her look of expectation joined Kevin's.
Beetlejuice tilted his head sideways as if thinking up the costume, but Lydia saw through his act. He was enjoying every minute of it. A little revenge for approving of Kevin's cleaning up. Lydia restrained herself from shaking her head. A child to the core.
The juice zapped at Lydia and she found herself in a long tight fitting black dress with web patterns and spiders here and there. She looked around to look into a mirror, but found there were no mirrors in the room. What she knew without a mirror was that the décolleté was too low for her standards, but who was going to judge her here? She touched the jewelry the weight of which she felt on her neck and almost burst into tears – it was the bat necklace, Beetlejuice's present on their first anniversary.
"Remember when I call you a hot babe? I take my words back, you are really beautiful, miss Lydia."
"Thank you, Kevin."
"Don't you have to say anything, Beej? You are the man around here."
"Don't bother, Kevin," Lydia said with a smile that failed to reach her eyes. "Complimenting is nice, and Beetlejuice doesn't do nice." She glanced at 'the man' for confirmation and saw him pushing his hands deeper into his pockets, eyes downcast. Did he actually want to say something?